[APWG] Ecosystem Restoration Grasslands Drought Fire Re: Cal./Great Basin/SW drought+weeds+ecosystem damage?

[Wayne Tyson]

Dear Craig and All:

 

I agree that alien plants, such as the various bromes and the like do alter the ignition, burn, and fire spread characteristics of wildland fires, and I agree that planting indigenous grasses would help a lot (however, restoration of indigenous grasses simply is not the most cost-effective way to prevent the loss of lives and property). I also agree that planting small colonies of indigenous grasses, in locations (soils, etc.) to which they are adapted would help alter those characteristics for the better, in time, because IF the sources of disturbance were removed, such as grazing (the effects of cattle include selective herbivory, trampling, soil erosion, alteration of soil structure, elevation of N levels, and alien seed dispersal) such colonies would soon prevail and the alien weedy species would soon be relegated to a minor element in the grassland association, would be a good idea. Indigenous grasses are not unformly adapted to all habitats, even though they were once much more widespread and common than they are now. 

 

Making it work at a useful scale and demonstrating it efficacy, much less its cost-effectiveness, may be more than a small challenge, however. "Selling" it to the "powers-that-be" is a tough row to hoe (if you will pardon the ecologically inappropriate metaphor). I suspect that some of the figures you have given in your website essays, for example, may mitigate against that selling. So, you don't have any real trouble selling it to this choir member at least, but how are you gonna convince the Terminator and his disciples? In the Intermountain West, how are you going to get livestock off the "range?" The cowboy lobby is pretty strong, and not very bright. I suspect that Bromus tectorum would soon become a minor component if the livestock and feral animal grazing were eliminated and replaced with th indigenous ungulates with which they evolved. This process would be greatly facilitated and accelerated by your suggested program, but with continued disturbance it is unlikely to succeed. In certain places, limited livestock grazing could be permitted after the restoration of the better-adapted indigenous species, and would be more economical for the livestock operators. The catch is, however, that livestock operators created the problem and they're not likely to listen to a bunch of ecologists. Got a solution to this issue? 

 

WT

 

PS: I don't want to quibble, but for the sake of honesty I think you might want to think a bit harder on the drought and fire issues--while I am with you in spirit, I don't necessarily buy your marginal technical arguments. Maybe if you explained them in more detail? For example, indigenous grasses can tolerate short rain years fairly well by taking advantage of residual moisture below the alien grass root zones; the biggest problem is that they can't survive when the aliens reduce effective percolation below the alien root zones, especially in marginal grassland soils and soils which formed under shrublands. If you look at the best stands of indigenous grasses, they tend to be on finer/heavier soils (formed by grasslands and grassland or grassland phases of drought-deciduous ecosystems) rather than coarser soils where indigenous grasses cannot, as you point out, survive well. In order to advance your cause, you might consider emphasizing the kinds of sites (finer/heavier soils) where success is most likely. As you know, site conditions are the primary determinant of the type of vegetative cover, and coarse soils are not as good a site type as the finer/heavier soils for establishing good grassland associations successfully, especially as "understory" for shrubs. Correlation is not always causation. 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company" <Craig at astreet.com>
To: <apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 1:54 PM
Subject: [APWG] Cal./Great Basin/SW drought+weeds+ecosystem damage?


> Dear Wayne and All,
> 
> The weather service puts together a weekly Drought Monitor, and since we
> have had a drought in California going onto three years now, there is
> controversy on how the map should be drawn.
> 
> Because of our massive flammable exotic plant problem in California, that
> add the equal of 400 gallons of gasoline per acre in the summer
> <http://www.ecoseeds.com/flames.html> we need to take that into
> consideration.
> 
> Also, each ecosystem in California needs a minimum level of annual
> rainfall, to exist.  Deserts need 3-10 inches, California native bunch
> grasslands need 10-20 inches, oaks need 20-35 inches, conifers 35-60 etc.
> 
> In central California oak woodlands, for the last three years, we are
> dropping to the desert levels, and the major central and southern
> California rivers are dropping to record lows, or drying up completely,
> like the Salinas river at the Spreckels USGS gauge.
> 
> My way of looking at the drought/ecosystem interactions, is that it is
> like running you car when it is short two or three quarts of oil.
> 
> Or, we should rewrite that old song: "Summertime, in the middle of winter 
> fish are jumping, when the water is gone."
> 
> You can see some details at http://www.ecoseeds.com/caldrought.html
> 
> Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 
> Disclaimer
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the opinion of the individual posting the message.


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